It's so sad to see this stuff happening to musical arts programs around the nation. Just recently the Philadelphia Orchestra had to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing that they'd be out of money by June. Now, the NYC Opera has a huge deficit looming, and contracts to renegotiate, and if something drastic and creative isn't done soon — there will be no more NYC Opera.

It wouldn't mean the end of all opera in the city, though, as the Met is it's own separate entity, proving profitable again and again. The NYC Opera was created years after the Met and boasted lower ticket prices as "the People's Opera."

The company's endowment has dwindled from $55 million to $9 million, according to audits obtained by the AP. And City Opera has put off announcing its 2011-2012 season as it faces a projected deficit of $5 million. The board chairman last month personally contributed an emergency $2.5 million toward plugging the deficit, company officials said.

In the latest tax return, for the year ending June 2009, the company posted a $9.5 million operating deficit, with net assets tumbling to about $17 million from $58 million in 2007. The 2010 return has yet to be filed.

It's so tragic to see this happen. The union has said to be willing to find new and creative ways to lower the budget without hurting the salaries of those involved, because they barely make enough money where having two jobs let them survive.

But, it has been said that they "will have to decide whether to bargain over reduced employment or, instead, strike and drive City Opera out of existence."

Let's hope that doesn't happen. We hope the meeting tonight is productive and someone comes up with a solution!

3 comments to “NYC Opera Is In Trouble, Meets To Talk Future”

I sing with this company. We need to find ways to get young people interested in opera. Opera is looked upon, in this country, as something that is completely "elitist" or boring. This is because our world is dominated by pop music and that the conception of what opera is, is completely a MISCONCEPETION. There is a lack of education about it. It is a sad reality. While I love pop music, I wish young people would not shun opera without giving it a chance. It is a beautiful artform ( sometimes funny, sometimes erotic, sometimes tragic, and definitely exciting) that explores all types of human emotion at many extremes. If anyone is reading this, I dare you to go see "Carmen" by Bizet, or listen to the Queen of the Night's aria from The Magic Flute on youtube, or watch O soave fanciulla (the love duet) from La Boheme. Take the time to read the lyrics if you do not understand the language, and listen to the beauty of the human voice- WITHOUT AUTOTUNE, WITHOUT MICROPHONES, WITHOUT ANY EDITING….just a naked voice. It is remarkable and I promise you will love it and really respect what these artists who sing opera (often giving up much of their lives for the artform for which few in this day and age give one thought about,) do. Please go support your local opera company rather than watching TV one night or going to the movies. Read up about the opera before you go. And enjoy!!!